PHYSICIST: SADDAM'S URANIUM STOCKPILE ENOUGH TO YIELD 142 NUKES

Newsmax ^ | 8/9/04

[AFPhys]

My information is that 'yellowcake' is actually U3O8, not uranium hexafloride.


From the Canadian nuclear project site:
http://www.nuclearfaq.ca/cnf_sectionG.htm

"Uranium is first separated from the rest of the ore minerals, and oxidized into a
form known as "Yellowcake" (U3O8). This raw material is then shipped to a
refinery. Here, it can be prepared for the uranium enrichment market, in which
case it is converted into uranium hexafluoride gas (UF6) and then shipped to the
U.S. or elsewhere (Canada doesn't enrich its uranium)."

The calculations yield considerably different results, then, since U3O8 is about 85% uranium by weight. From 500 tons, I get 2.975 (metric)tons of U235 so if 25kg is the needed Uranium, I could build 119 crude atomics, not 142 ... really not worth quibbling about, though.
.

[AFPhys]

The breakdown of natural Uranium is:

U238:99.28%

U235: 0.71%

U234: 0.0058%
.

[AFPhys]

I just realized that the "prominent British physicist" made the incredibly simple error of assuming that "yellowcake" is composed of pure, 100% uranium. That accounts for the full significant discrepancy between his answer of 142, and the true answer of 119 weapons.

This guy is going to be embarrassed that he spoke with the press.
.

[chaosagent]

Ping

[rintense]

Oh just wait until Libya releases it's report in September. The world will then know what the intent of all the ywllow cake was.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Thanks, I missed the intermediate step of ore to Uranium oxide to uranium hexafloride.

[lepton]

I just realized that the "prominent British physicist" made the incredibly simple error of assuming that "yellowcake" is composed of pure, 100% uranium.

That was indeed my point. I guess it wasn't so clear.

I had understood yellowcake to be an oxide of uranium, but wasn't sure of the formula of formuals (like FeO vs. Fe2O3)...but clearly it wasn't anything approaching 99% Uranium in yellowcake.

[lepton]

I just realized that the "prominent British physicist" made the incredibly simple error of assuming that "yellowcake" is composed of pure, 100% uranium.

That was indeed my point. I guess it wasn't so clear.

I had understood yellowcake to be an oxide of uranium, but wasn't sure of the formula or formulas (like FeO vs. Fe2O3)...but clearly it wasn't anything approaching 99% Uranium in yellowcake.

[Atomic Vomit]

Thanks, Goodness!

The Michener book was good.

Thanks for enjoying the photos.

AV

[doug from upland]

bumping